Shoppers at Apple's flagship store in New York buy iPads, iPad Minis and iPhones on Black Friday. Technology items are on many teenagers' wish lists this holiday season. / AP

Written by

Phyl Newbeck

Free Press Correspondent

Teenagers are clearly not a monolithic group. If you have a member of this species living in your home, the best advice I can give you is to ask them directly what they want. Across our area, kids have wildly divergent ideas for holiday gifts, although one common theme seems to be devices that start with an “i.”

Noah King of Jericho is a junior at Mount Mansfield Union High School. King said most of his peers are hoping to get electronics for the holidays.

“Most would like iPhones or iPads,” he said, “but they are interested in other electronic devices like computers and cameras.”

King said one item that is not on his classmates’ wish list is the iPad mini. “I’ve heard almost nothing positive about it,” he said.

Based on his own list, King is something of an outlier. What he really wants for Christmas is a set of tongs for his home forge. King enjoys crafting medieval weaponry and fireplace tools in his spare time. He admits he wouldn’t be averse to a more traditional gift, as well.

“I would like a cellphone,” he said, “but it doesn’t have to be fancy. I don’t need it to be an iPhone.”

Old-fashioned hobbies

King and Cody Richardson of Underhill, another MMU junior, don’t appear to travel in the same circles. Richardson thinks most of his classmates are hoping for hunting and/or fishing gear including rods and reels, rifles, ammunition, camouflage jackets or vehicles. His wish is to get a set of wheels for the holidays, preferably a truck or a jeep. A fall back would be a gift card to either Walmart or Dick’s Sporting Goods.

In Colchester, sophomore Maddy Powell said most of her classmates are in the market for technology. “I’d say everyone’s looking for the next big electronic thing,” she said, “whether it’s iPads, iPhones or Macs. That’s a big trend.”

Powell already knows she’ll be getting a Mac for Christmas but she’s hoping she’ll also get an iPod Shuffle to listen to when she works out or runs. She wouldn’t turn up her nose at clothes either, preferring casual wear from the Gap or Urban Outfitters. Powell believes the majority of her female classmates would also like clothing and makeup for the holidays. Most of her friends are partial to casual clothes, and although some might want dresses, they would also be informal rather than fancy. In the makeup department, she believes the trend is for nail polish, eye shadow and lip gloss.

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Gifts to match personality

Darcey Patnode, an MMU junior from Jericho, doesn’t think makeup is on the wish list of her friends, many of whom prefer “earthy” clothing and would rather pick up something at Goodwill than go to a department store. Patnode admits she’s partial to big, comfy sweaters, but what she’d really like for Christmas are CDs and DVDs. She’s into alternative music including bands like The Killers and Imagine Dragons, and favors romantic comedies.

Eli Rachlin of South Burlington celebrates Hanukkah and said he usually asks for money rather than a particular gift, although he has requested video games in the past. Rachlin, a junior, thinks many of his male classmates would be happy with electronics, noting that one of his friends is looking for an add-on to his Xbox video game system.

Teens are a varied group. While many are Internet-focused, there are some who are retro enough to want their music on CDs, rather than via iTunes, although I’d recommend against buying eight-tracks. Technology may be big but others are pining for something that brings them in touch with the outdoors. Question your teen and you’ll have an of how to put a smile on his or her face this holiday season.